Our previous applications and provisional applications, including, but not limited to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/018,069, filed Jan. 22, 2008, entitled “Wireless Apparatus and Methods”, the entire contents of the disclosure of which is herewith incorporated by reference, describe wireless transfer of power between a transmitter and receiver.
The transmit and receiving antennas are preferably resonant antennas, which are substantially resonant, e.g., within 10% of resonance, 15% of resonance, or 20% of resonance. The antenna may be of a small size to allow it to fit into a mobile, handheld device where the available space for the antenna may be limited. An embodiment describes a high efficiency antenna for the specific characteristics and environment for the power being transmitted and received.
One embodiment uses an efficient power transfer between two antennas by storing energy in the near field of the transmitting antenna, rather than sending the energy into free space in the form of a travelling electromagnetic wave. This embodiment increases the quality factor (Q) of the antennas. This can reduce radiation resistance (Rr) and loss resistance (Rl).
The inventors noticed that many of the solutions raised by this system include power delivery at a distance, for example power delivery over inches or feet from a power transmitter to a receiver. The techniques disclosed in our co-pending applications allow delivery of power at reasonable efficiencies, for example between 3 and 5 feet, for example, and efficiencies from 5 to 40%.